The annual cost of metal corrosion in Japan is estimated to exceed 6 trillion yen, and microbial activity is known to accelerate corrosion processes. In this study, we examined microbial community dynamics in biofilms formed on metal surfaces during a two-year immersion test in an industrial water environment where accelerated corrosion had been observed. Focusing on dissolved oxygen, a key factor influencing both corrosion and microbial activity, we found that anaerobic sulfate-reducing bacteria increased within rust layers under aerobic conditions, whereas they did not increase under anaerobic conditions. In addition, copper and copper-alloy materials initially suppressed microbial diversity, but surface deterioration and fouling eventually allowed diverse biofilms to develop.
These results provide insights into microbial dynamics in corrosion environments from the perspectives of environmental conditions and material properties, contributing to future diagnostic and corrosion control technologies for microbiologically influenced corrosion.
Wakai, S. et al., Corrosion, 82(1), 39-50. 2025. https://doi.org/10.5006/4762.
